Is the Nikon Z 180-600 f 5.6/6.3 a good lens?

This is a short term review and my initial thoughts on the lens having used it a few times. This is a purchased item and using the links on this site supports me. Thanks!

Spoiler: Yes, this is a good lens! Sharp, relatively lightweight, good colors, and nice contrast.

Originally on the Nikon Z Lens roadmap as a 200-600mm lens, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR was released in June 2023 and is a versatile super-telephoto zoom lens designed for Nikon's Z-mount mirrorless camera system. This is a lens I’ve had my eye on for a while and am excited to finally have purchased one in August 2024. I debated buying its F-mount predecessor, the 200-500 F5.6 back in the day, but never did just due to the size and weight mostly.

Two other popular questions I’ll address about this lens are (1) How does the 180-600 compare to the F 500 5.6 and (2) What is a good bag to transport the 180-600mm lens?

The Nikon 180-600 on a Z8

Lens Size Comparison

Before we get too far into it, folks always want to know how big this lens is in comparison to other lenses. I’ve pulled out a few of mine to show the size. The 180-600 is definitely the biggest lens in my collection. Note the lens beside it on the right end is the NIkon 500 5.6PF.

70-200, 500, 180-600

Lens Details and Overview

The NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR is Nikon's farthest-reaching zoom lens for Z series mirrorless cameras. It offers a powerful zoom range that's ideal for wildlife, sports, and aviation photography. The lens features an internal zooming mechanism, which maintains its size and center of gravity throughout the zoom range, enhancing handling and durability. Its internal zoom mechanism requires only a 70° turn of the zoom ring to go from 180mm to 600mm, making it easy to quickly adjust your composition. Indeed, I’ve found in practice having such a short throw is a good thing and helpful in quickly framing where you need it to be. Personally, I love this feature and it was a major selling point for me. The 180-600 is designed for comfortable handheld shooting. The lens features four customizable L-Fn buttons, allowing quick access to preferred settings without taking your eye off the subject. It also includes a customizable control ring and a quick-release tripod foot for effortless operation.

One of the standout features of this lens is its Vibration Reduction (VR) system, which provides up to 5.5 stops of stabilization. This allows for sharper images when shooting handheld, especially at longer focal lengths where camera shake is more pronounced.

At first, the variable aperture concerned me just due to the speed of the lens and I questioned the bokeh this lens would produce. Spoiler, it’s fine. The aperture changes at the following focal lengths.

• 180-290mm: f/5.6

• 300-480mm: f/6

• 490-600mm: f/6.3

This lens is compatible with Nikon's Z-mount full-frame (FX) and crop-sensor (DX) mirrorless cameras. Using it on a DX camera provides the look of an extra 1.5x field of view making this look like a 900 mm F6.3 on the long end. A similar effect can be achieved in cameras such as the Z6 or Z8 by selecting “DX” mode. The minimum focus distance is 4.27 feet (1.3 meters) at the 180mm zoom position, allowing for a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.25x.

The lens weighs approximately 4.3 lbs (1,955g), which is relatively lightweight for a lens of this focal range. Its dimensions are 4.3” (110mm) in diameter and 12.4” (315.5mm) in length and it has a 95mm front filter thread. The optical design consists of 25 elements arranged in 17 groups. It includes six Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass elements to suppress chromatic aberration and minimize color fringing, ensuring high color accuracy across the frame. The lens features a 9-blade diaphragm for smooth and pleasing bokeh. It's also compatible with Nikon's Z Teleconverters, allowing you to extend its reach up to 840mm with the 1.4x converter or 1200mm with the 2.0x converter.

Pros

• Zoom Range - This was the driving factor in me getting this lens. After a few days in South Dakota and Montana over the summer, there were many times I was wishing I had a zoom instead of my 500 PF.

• Weight - All this amazing image quality in a lens about the same weight as the 500 PF.

• Optical Quality - I cannot detect any discernable optical quality in real world shooting between this $1900 lens and the $3600 F mount 500mm 5.6 PF. Well worth the price of admission for the casual or semi pro user.

• Price - Amazing price, even after the $200 Nikon rate hike on it in August 2024.

Cons

• Aperture - The variable maximum aperture of f/5.6-6.3 may be limiting in low-light conditions, especially at the longer end of the zoom range. I’ve experienced this recently with the Z 24-200 F4.5-6.3 while shooting at both sunrise and sunset. That lens struggles significantly on my Z8 and while I haven’t done this with the 180-600, I don’t expect it to be much different. I will update when I’ve tried it.

• Weight - While this lens is not super heavy, it can be a chore walking or hiking with it in hand. I went out one day to hike some local trails and after 15-20 minutes, you definitely notice you’re carrying a big lens around.

How does the 180-600 Compare to the 500 F5.6?

If you spend some time online, there are always a lot of questions and concerns about the performance of the 180-600 vs other Nikon lenses. The 500 5.6 PF gets brought up a lot and so since I own it, I did a comparison test between the 2 lenses off my back porch to see in a real world situation, if there was any real difference. To make it more apples to apples, I used F6.3 on the 500 PF. Both lenses were shot on my Nikon Z8 shooting lossless compressed RAW and converted in the latest version of Adobe Lightroom.

There’s not doubt the 500 5.6 is a stellar lens and was considered an incredible value when it was released in August 2018 ($3600). I purchased mine used on November 30, 2021 for $2900 in like new condition. Today, they are going for around $2300 in very good condition.

In order to do this test, I used a tape measure to get the distances of 23’, 29’, 45’, and 61’ as reference points off my back patio. I placed a light stand holding a Nanlight PavoTube II 6C on it as my subject. For reference it’s 10” tall 1.5” in diameter. I have 2 of these little Nanlights and I love the small formfactor and easy portability. Plus they are magnetic to and can be stuck to anything made of steel or with the included plates. It has the ability to do any kind of color too!

This was done in the late afternoon with clear skies but it was windy. Camera settings were consistent throughout and the only thing I changed was the lens. These were imported into light room and given a +1.0 exposure bump and a -50 highlight and +50 shadow adjustment. All other settings were at 0.

• ISO 64

• F 6.3

• 1/320

Can you tell which lens is which by looking?

First Up, 23 foot distance.

Second, 29 foot distance.

View fullsize

View fullsize

Third, 45 foot distance.

Final, 61 foot distance.

So which was which? The Nikon 180-600 is the first image in each set. The 500 PF is the second. They look identical at full size here.

Next up, we’ll look at some crops at 29’ and 61’.

First 29’. The 180-600 is first and the 500 PF is second. At this close range and additional crop, the difference in IQ between the 2 photos is negligible but the 180-600 does appear sharper.

View fullsize

View fullsize

Second 61’. This was an extreme crop in.

Nikon 180-600 @ 500mm and F6.3

Nikon 500 PF @ F6.3

Here in the final comparison, all else being equal, the crop of the 180-600 at 500 and 6.3 produced a somewhat better image than the 500 PF at 6.3 crop. But in the end, does it really matter? I do not believe it does as no one would normally be cropping in so heavily realistically. Both lenses produce a great image! But for the price point, the Nikon 180-600 is hitting it out of the park in terms of image quality in my opinion and based on these tests!

What is a good bag to transport the Nikon 180-600?

In the Spring of 2023 I happened upon the Thinktank Streetwalker Rolling Backpack at a photography conference. The idea of having a bag that could both roll, or be easily and quickly converted into a backpack was intriguing to me. I’ve had issues with lower back pain and carrying around a backpack all the time when I travel with my gear was starting to become an issue. I can tell you, nearly 2 years in with this bag now, I absolutely love it. It is my go-to and goes everywhere.

Due to the level of protection and just ease of use, even when I’m just taking this set up, it’s what I use. The Nikon Z8 and 180-600 fit perfectly inside and there’s room for more!

This is an actual load out for the main section of the bag where I do Nature and some landscape photography.

1. Nikon Z8 with 180-600

2. Nikon 70-200 2.8

3. Nikon 14-30 F4

4. Nikon 24-120 F4

5. Thinktank 4 count battery pouch

6. Nikon Z6 spare

7. Lee Filters and Accessories

One hack I’ll do on the 70-200 area is, use additional padded dividers to create a second level and put more things like a battery charger, laptop charger, and more filters if needed. If you don’t want to take the lens hood, there’s enough room at the bottom of the bag to put another lens or accessories as well.

Hands down, this is the bag I would recommend every time for transporting the 180-600 when on or off a body. For local use I do leave it attached, but when I’m flying, I always detach lenses from bodies to help prevent damage that may occur to the mounting area.

Thinktank Streetwalker Rolling Backpack Load Out 2024

Should you buy the Nikon Z 180-600 in 2024?

I find that the Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR is a compelling option for photographers seeking a versatile super-telephoto zoom for their Z-mount cameras. It offers an impressive zoom range, effective image stabilization, and thoughtful ergonomics in a relatively lightweight package. While it may not be the sharpest or fastest lens in Nikon's lineup when compared to their premium S line lenses that cost significantly more, its combination of features, performance, and price make it an excellent value for many photographers. For those who prioritize versatility and reach in their telephoto work, this lens is certainly worth considering. I am happy to own one and look forward to many more years of photographing amazing things with it. My Nikon 500 F5.6 PF is up for sale!